Energy Research, Development & Demonstration

Research and Demonstration

Research, development, and demonstration are central to the mission of the LSU Energy Institute. The RD&D core area provides a coordinated framework for advancing high-quality, relevant energy research at LSU.

Dr. Brian Snyder

Director of Energy Research, Development & Demonstration

A key function of this core area is to lead and coordinate LSU’s campus-wide efforts related to demonstration-scale energy projects. These projects serve as an important bridge between research and real-world application, allowing new technologies, systems, and approaches to be tested, evaluated, and refined under practical conditions. By convening faculty, students, industry partners, and public agencies, the Energy Institute seeks to position LSU as a hub for applied energy demonstration and learning. LSU faculty organizing large multi-disciplinary externally funded research proposals can also seek assistance from the Energy Institute for convening meetings and other support.

The RD&D core area is also responsible for documenting and organizing the substantial body of historical research conducted by CES, the Louisiana Geological Survey, and affiliated units and faculty. Preserving and synthesizing this work ensures that past research continues to inform current analysis and future project development.

In addition, the RD&D core provides direction and oversight for research activities within the Energy Institute, with an emphasis on rigor, relevance, and transparency. Research outputs include both peer-reviewed scholarly publications and white papers intended for broader audiences, supporting informed decision-making across Louisiana’s energy sector and beyond.

Energy RD&D

The RD&D core area advances applied energy research from concept through demonstration. This core area conducts technical feasibility studies, validates emerging technologies, and supports pilot programs that bridge laboratory research to real-world deployment. The work emphasizes scientific rigor and practical applicability for Louisiana's energy challenges. Access our white papers here.

Economic Implications of Air Products Louisiana Clean Energy Complex Project for Louisiana and the Project Parishes

The proposed Air Products Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, an $8 billion low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia facility in Ascension Parish with associated CO₂ transport and sequestration, would support about 8,800 jobs a year in Louisiana during pre-construction and construction, adding an estimated $4.5 billion to Gross State Product and $2.5 billion in labor income. Once operating, the complex would support roughly 900 jobs a year, $132 million in GSP, and $70 million in labor income. Sequestration beneath Lake Maurepas is estimated to generate about $24.7 million a year in injection fees, 30% of which is shared with the affected parishes under Louisiana law. Estimates use the Louisiana Economic Impact Model (LEIM). The analysis was commissioned by Air Products.

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2026